The Open Championship Betting Tips And Each-Way Predictions For Royal Portrush

The Open Championship returns to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland this week, six years after Shane Lowry lifted the Claret Jug with an impressive six-shot victory. 

The Irishman, 30/1 with golf betting sites to win here again, skipped last week’s Scottish Open, but was one of the first to be practising on the Dunluce Links on Monday morning, along with Ryder Cup team-mate and good pal Rory McIlroy.

The Masters champion is the 7/1 second favourite to repeat his 2014 Open success, but world number one Scottie Scheffler is the frontrunner at 11/2.

Defending champion Xander Schauffele had a decent week at The Renaissance Club and can be backed at 25/1 with Parimatch or punters can choose one of the bookmakers offering between seven and 10 places at lower odds.

Lowry dominated the putting stats in 2019 and players will have to be hot on these undulating greens if they are to be in with a chance of success.

The wind on the north coast can be a factor at this fabulous links course which is tough in dry conditions, but with rain expected over all four days, it should be a lot easier making approach shots to set up birdie chances.

We have taken a close look at which are the toughest and easiest holes at Portrush, a par-71 lay-out measuring 7,381 yards.

It promises to be a thrilling week at the greatest major of all and The Panel have picked out more than a handful of Open Championship each-way betting tips, but start with a player in the win-only market.

Open Championship Betting Tips: McIlroy To Make Amends

As a 16-year-old, McIlroy broke the course record at Portrush with a 61 in 2006, although since being lengthened in 2019, Lowry now holds that honour with a third-round 63 en route to his stunning Open Triumph.

McIlroy was the focal point in the build-up to the 2019 Open, but his chances of victory in his native Northern Ireland virtually ended at the par-four first hole with a quadruple eight.

Five dropped shots in his last three holes meant a first-round 79 left him with a mountain to climb and although he recovered with a six-under 65 on Friday, he missed the cut by one stroke.

Fast forward six years and the same level of expectation surrounds this extraordinary golfer, who has won three times this year at the US Masters, The Players Championship and the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Crucially, McIlroy’s preparations for his trip to the Antrim coast have been perfect, finishing runner-up to Chris Gotterup at the Scottish Open, and is confident he can launch a bold bid this week.

He said: “I'm really happy with where my game is - the way I played over the weekend, the shots that I hit, how I controlled my ball flight. It has been a great week. Missing the trophy, that's about it.”

Twelve months ago, McIlroy struggled in the breezy conditions at Royal Troon where he missed the weekend at The Open for only the third time in his career, but the wind is not expected to be too much of a problem this week.

The five-time major champion has finished inside the top six in seven of his 13 Open appearances, two of which came in the last three years and hopefully the scars have healed since that disappointing visit in 2019.

The Panel are making McIlroy their headline tip as the first of their Open Championship betting tips at 7/1 with betting sites.

Open Championship Prediction 1: Rory McIlroy (3 Points Win) - 7/1 Unibet

The Open Betting Tips: Matt Fitz The Bill

Matt Fitzpatrick has reserved his best major form for the other side of the Atlantic, having won the US Open three years ago and twice posting top 10s at both the Masters and the USPGA.

Fitzpatrick has only once finished inside the top 20 which encouragingly came at the 2019 Open at Portrush, but his performance in North Berwick last week suggests he could prove competitive.

The 30-year-old Yorkshireman posted four sub-70 rounds at the Scottish Open, including a 63 on Friday, to ensure a fourth-placed finish, his third top 10 at the Renaissance Club in five years.   

Fitzpatrick revealed on Friday that he has been working on his approach play following The Heritage, since when he has finished no lower than T38 at the US Open.  

He said: “My approach play is a lot better. I've been making some changes since the RBC, and just really felt more comfortable and hitting the shots that match my intention. Since then, I've played much better.”

“I feel like I'm a half-decent putter and can give myself plenty of chances and make the putts.”

Fitzpatrick is trending in the right direction, having finished 17th at the Travelers Championship, eighth at the Rocket Classic and fourth in Scotland, so he makes the cut at 40/1.

Open Championship 2: Matt Fitzpatrick (Each-Way) - 40/1 With Bet365 (Eight Places)

The Open Championship Each-Way Tips: Straka Can Strike 

Sepp Straka features regularly in The Panel’s golf previews and an encouraging display in Scotland suggests he could enjoy another excellent four days at The Open.

The in-form Austrian was one of four players to finish runner-up to Brian Harman at Hoylake in 2023 and was inside the top 25 at Royal Troon 12 months ago.

Straka won his second PGA Tour title of the season in May and moved up to eighth in the world rankings with seventh spot at The Renaissance Club where he had missed the cut in two previous appearances.

Excellent from tee-to-green and inside the top 30 in the Strokes Gained: Putting stats, Straka is more than capable of breaking his major duck and looks well priced at 50/1 with betting apps.

Open Championship Prediction 3: Sepp Straka (Each-Way) - 50/1 With Bet365 (Eight Places)

(Odds correct at 9.30am on July 15, 2025)

Open Championship Betting Tips 2025:

• Rory McIlroy (3 Points Win) - 7/1 Unibet
• Matt Fitzpatrick (Each-Way) - 40/1 With Bet365 (Eight Places)
• Sepp Straka (Each-Way) - 50/1 With Bet365 (Eight Places)
• Justin Rose (Each-Way) - 55/1 With Bet365 (Eight Places)
• Russell Henley (Each-Way) - 55/1 With Bet365 (Eight Places)
• Marco Penge (Each-Way) - 100/1 With Bet365 (Eight Places)
• Thriston Lawrence (Each-Way) - 150/1 With Bet365 (Eight Places) 
• Jordan Smith (Each-Way) - 150/1 With Coral (10 Places)

(Odds correct at 9.30am on July 15, 2025)

The Open Championship Each-Way Predictions: Rose Can Bloom At Portrush

Justin Rose has struggled for form since his heartbreaking US Masters play-off defeat to McIlroy, but produced a final-round best of 63 to finish outright sixth at the Scottish Open, just four shots behind Gotterup.

Rose described it as “maybe as clean a round as I’ve played all year” and added that it was “a great way to build momentum” for The Open where he has twice finished second in his last five appearances.

The 2013 US Open champion was runner-up to Schauffele last year, having finished in the same spot behind Francesco Molinari in 2018.

Twelve months later, Rose made the top 20 at Portrush which can only help his cause this week when knowledge of the difficult greens could be vital.

Rose’s Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green numbers have been poor on the PGA Tour this season, but from nowhere he was absolutely outstanding in that metric in Scotland, gaining 5.78 shots on the field, well ahead of the next best Justin Thomas (+4.17).

The omens look good for a big week from Rose, who famously made his name as an amateur at the 1998 Open at Birkdale where he chipped in for birdie at the 72nd hole to secure a share of fourth place.

Rose could make some more memories this week and looks a catch at 55/1 with Bet365 as the next of this week’s Open Championship betting tips.

Open Championship Prediction 4: Justin Rose (Each-Way) - 55/1 With Bet365 (Eight Places)

(Odds correct at 9.30am on July 15, 2025)

The Open Each-Way Predictions: Henley Can Hit Heights

Readers of The Panel’s golf previews will not be surprised to see Russell Henley’s name making another appearance.

Henley is enjoying a stellar season on the PGA Tour and has paid out on three occasions from five Panel tips this year, including victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at 35/1 in March.

Americans have won five of the last nine editions of The Open, so it makes sense to have at least one player from across the pond.

Henley had endured a fairly torrid time at The Open until last year when a weekend 66-69 ensured fifth spot, his second best performance in a major.

Many would struggle to put a name to Henley’s face, but he has finished inside the top 10 in his last three tournaments, including 10th at the US Open, a run which has seen him rise to fifth in the world rankings.

Like Straka, Henley is strong both from tee-to-green and with the putter, and catches the eye at 55/1 with Bet365.

Open Championship Prediction 5: Russell Henley (Each-Way) - 55/1 With Bet365 (Eight Places)

(Odds correct at 9.30am on July 15, 2025)

The Open Outsider Tips: Pick Penge For Open Tilt

Marco Penge broke into the world’s top 100 with second place in Scotland and there is every reason to think the Englishman could go well this week.

The 27-year-old from Horsham won the Hainan Classic in China in April in only his second season on the DP World Tour and he has finished inside the top 30 in his last five events.

Although he has missed the cut in his two Open appearances, he was 28th at the USPGA Championship, his first time at a major on US soil.

Penge’s putter has been really hot this year and he stands inside the top 30 for SG: Tee-to-Green for which he was the fifth best player in Scotland last week, so he appeals at 100/1.

Open Championship Prediction 6: Marco Penge (Each-Way) - 100/1 With Bet365 (Eight Places)

The Open Championship Long Shots: Lawrence And Smith Stand Out

Thriston Lawrence missed the cut at The Renaissance Club, but he was fourth at last year’s Open Championship and looks a dark horse at 150/1.

The South African was just five shots off the lead in sixth place heading into the final round of the US Open at Oakmont last month only to fade on the Sunday, although he still finished 12th.

Lawrence followed that performance with eighth spot at the Rocket Classic a couple of weeks later, so his form looks solid.

Scottish Open Prediction 7: Thriston Lawrence (Each-Way) - 150/1 With Bet365 (Eight Places)

(Odds correct at 9.30am on July 15, 2025)

Since finishing ninth on his major debut at the 2017 USPGA Championship, Jordan Smith has generally struggled at elite-level tournaments, but that could change this week.

Smith has enjoyed four top 10s in his last eight outings, including two runners-up spots at the China Open and the BMW International Open.

Inside the top 25 in Scotland last week, Smith was superb from tee to green, let down only by his putter.

The greens were pretty tough at The Renaissance and with Smith generally solid with the flatstick, he looks an excellent Open each-way tip at 150/1 with Coral.

Scottish Open Prediction 8: Jordan Smith (Each-Way) - 150/1 With Coral (10 Places)